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Eric Siu and a co-host debate whether founders should build a personal brand alongside their startup. They examine Jason Cohen's WP Engine and Neil Patel/NP Digital, weighing how a founder's name affects company valuation and independence.
Eric Siu and a co-host debate whether founders should build a personal brand alongside their startup. They examine Jason Cohen's WP Engine and Neil Patel/NP Digital, weighing how a founder's name affects company valuation and independence.
Jason Cohen tweeted this one. So he said this, keep your personal brand separate from your startup brand. It feels good to mix at first, but it's detrimental in the long run. It's hard to sell a company that's tied to someone's identity and you can't change positions like me at WP Engine or leave.
WP Engine sold though. When Jason Cohen started WP Engine, everyone, at least I in my circle, knew about it because of him. And I think that's helped him grow WP Engine. But now when you look at WP Engine, do you ever think Jason Cohen? WP Engine had its own brand. Yes, he was very involved and he probably had issues of key man, but over time, as they raised some money and grew and added an executive team and it started growing on its own and wasn't reliant on his brand. I think that's changed.
But I think the sentiment probably agree with it. But the good news is, yeah, if you're not looking to sell, then it doesn't matter.
Because even with me, I don't think NP Digital would have been as big if I didn't use my personal brand to grow it. And then I started taking my personal brand away, but it's still tied in really heavily. When you have NP in the name, it's very hard to take it away. Well, it was Neil Patel Digital and now it's NP Digital. We did to some extent, but it's not perfect. If you want more insights on AI marketing and business, just comment newsletter.
